Jul 27, 2010

Chosen Words: Y is Yokota

Regular readers of this blog will be aware of a 'Yokota' but may not know exactly what one is.

Possible definitions of the word, seen in this website's strapline "From AFX To Yokota" for quite some time, include any or all of the following:

A 'Yokota' is an organised crime syndicate operating out of Tokyo and sworn to defend, to the death, the reputation of Japanese car brand Toyota.

A 'Yakota' is a robot disguised as a hairy bovine populating the icy Himalayas, chewing the cud quietly until they rise up with the cows and enslave the world into a caste system based on the four stomachs of the holy god Ermintrude Out Of Magic Roundabout.

Or - and this could well be true - a 'Yokota' is Susumu Yokota. He is a much-overworked musician signed to the Leaf label and known for blending techno, eastern elements and samples. The Leaf label is, quite simply, one of the greatest record labels in the world, showcasing emotive instrumental music with a bent towards real instruments.

The two artists featured in this blog's strapline represent two elements of electronica: the digital (AFX, a.k.a. Aphex Twin) and the organic (Yokota and his Leaf contemporaries). Now you know.

Top five bestest Leaf artists:

- Murcof
- Susumu Yokota
- Four Tet
- Caribou
- Boom Bip

2 comments:

9/10ths Full of Penguins said...

I found one of those Yakota bovines hiding in the greenhouse last week.

They're a bit grumpy and abusive when stirred you know.

(the word verification was 'wallypee' for this. Nice)

Fat Roland said...

I hope you opened the greenhouse skylight so he could stick his head out.